Easy Hummus Recipe and 30 Other Ideas for Beans

Huge thanks to Bush’s Beans and Soapbox Influence for sponsoring this post and letting me share my hummus recipe and 30 other uses for beans. All opinions and photos are my own.
#MyBestWithBushBeans

Let’s talk summer meals and beans.

I know… you’re wondering if I’ve lost my mind. My biggest issue with summer break is that although the kids get time to be lazy in front of the TV and can hang out at the mall with their friends, I still have all those pesky Mom responsibilities. Those I don’t ever get a break from. The thing I hate more than anything during the summer is figuring out what to make for dinner. Summer days kind of get away from you, don’t you think? We’ve been getting up really early due to summer school and tennis camp, which means that by the afternoon we’re all exhausted and just want to be lazy and watch TV or hang at the pool. By 6:00 pm it’s still hot and sunny and the thought of making dinner makes me cringe. Eating out isn’t affordable so I’ve had to get creative on my summer meals. One thing that has become a staple in my recipes… beans!

First of all, beans are awesome. They are an amazing source of protein and fiber, especially great if you are trying to cut back on meat and dairy. They have all kinds of antioxidants, along with all those vitamins and minerals that you’re probably not getting enough of anyway. And, they are pretty inexpensive. A can of beans can go a long way. And they are tasty. I mean, one of my girls will sit and eat beans right out of the can if you let her.

I’ve had to really focus this summer on keeping staples in the house so I can throw together a meal at the last minute. Bush’s Beans is one of those products that I always have in my pantry. Those, along with pasta, eggs, tortillas, and veggies, always means I can provide a healthy and fast meal for my family. I make a point to stock up at Walmart on canned goods at least once a month. Fresher ingredients get purchased each week but I hate doing a big shopping every week so having those canned goods and staples available makes everything so much easier.

So to give you some ideas, I’m giving you 30 ways you can use Bush’s Beans for your family meal planning.

30 WAYS TO USE BEANS

Burritos – add beans, rice, cheese, meat or shrimp, salsa, and avocado inside a tortilla
Tacos – top off a taco with a few beans to add extra protein
Enchiladas – we love adding refried beans to our cheese enchiladas
Salads – garbanzo beans are an amazing addition to any type of salad
Omelet – add a few of your favorite beans along with some cheese and salsa
Chili – use several different kinds of beans with your tomatoes and ground beef
Soup – either keep beans whole or blend for a creamy soup
Franks and Beans – a family favorite
Three bean salad – not just for picnics
Bean dip – a party favorite and also a great lunchbox snack
Mashed beans – add to your mashed potatoes
Bean Burgers – when you are trying to go vegetarian or vegan
Tuna Fish – add beans to tuna
Red beans and rice – I fell in love with this when I was in New Orleans
Brownies – yep, black beans ground up is a great alternative to flour
Stew – throw a can of beans into any savory stew you are making
Stuffing – great addition for Thanksgiving
Succotash – add your favorite beans to vegetables
Corn, tomato and bean salad – you can also throw in some avocado
Stuffed peppers – add beans to your rice and meat (or forego the meat)
Pasta sauce – add beans to your tomato sauce
Sandwiches – mashed beans is a great alternative to sandwich spreads
Coleslaw – black beans take this up a few notches
Bean fritters – make like you were doing a potato pancake… but with beans.
Hummus – the ultimate use for garbanzo beans
Casseroles – any type of chicken casserole works better with beans
Chicken Pot Pie – mix in some black beans
Vegetarian Meatballs – beans are a great alternative to meat
Quinoa – any type of beans would be great as an add-in
Traditional baked beans

One of my favorites ways to use beans is to make hummus using garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas). I always have at least one can around and this is so easy that my kids can make it. It’s healthy and hummus goes great with so many things: pita bread, chips, vegetables, chicken, fish, rice, and the list goes on.